Apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for disseminating lachrymatory material having a safety means to prevent premature dissemination and a variable spray nozzle means.

United States Patent 21 lute-mm Joseph luuub 1 %6| References Cited 7 N 5"??? LNITED STATES PATENTS 32: 1969 1.200.425 10/1916 Kermodei. 239/581 [45 Patented July 26,197] 2.013.959 9/1935 Hukari 239/582 [73] Assignee The United States of America as 8/1953 Morseth 224/2 represemed byhe Secretary the Army 2,911,159 11/1959 Doyle 1, 239/573 3,138,331 6/1964 Kutik v 222/402.13 X 3,169,672 2/1965 Soffer et a1. ZZZ/402.1 l X 3,252,626 5/1966 Belka 222/4021] 3,385,601 15/1968 Black 42/1 3,386,631 6/1968 Kotuby. 222/402.11 [54] APPARATUS FOR DISSEMINATING LACHRYMATORY M ATER] AL Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. 8 Claims 15 Drawing Figs. Assistant Examiner.lohn J. Love Attorneys-Harry M. Saragovitz, Edward J. Kelly, Herbert 1 1 239/579, Berl and Bernard J. Ohlendorf 239/582. ZZZ/402.11 [51] lnLCl.v B05b 11/00 [50] Field of Search. 239/573, ABSTRACT: An apparatus and method for disseminating 579, S81, 582, 492; 222/4021 1, 402.13; 102/65; lachrymatory material having a safety means to prevent pre- 42/1 G; 224/2 mature dissemination and a variable spray nozzle means.

PATENTEUJULZOIQYI 3 593926 SHEET 1 [IF 2 lHllll ZNVENTOR Joseph Kozub PATENTEU JULZO I971 SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTO I? cw b? w. ,m Mm J m APPARATUS FOR DISSEMINATING LACIIRYMATORY MATERIAL DEDICATORY CLAUSE The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon. My invention relates to a device for use in disseminating lachrymatory material for temporary personnel incapacitation and riot control.

For a number of years, CS has been utilized as a chemical warfare lachrymatory agent, because it produces the desirable, effective, nonlethal, and incapacitating physiological effect required of chemical warfare agents. CS is the code designation for the chemical compound orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile and named after the two American chemists, B. B. Corson and R. W. Stoughton, who reported the compound preparation in 1928. More recently, conventional aerosol spray cans, such as utilized for dispensing shaving.

cream, etc., have been filled with CS and utilized for riot control purposes. However, with the utilization of the aerosol spray cans, a problem developed in that the valve actuator on occasion was accidentally actuated while the dispenser was in storage or when there was no need to dispense the CS content. My invention was conceived and reduced to practice to overcome the problem in the art of accidental actuation of the dispenser valve and the resulting accidental dispensing of CS.

A principal object of my invention is to provide an aerosol dispenser for CS which cannot be accidentally discharged.

Another object 'of my invention is to provide an aerosol dispenser for CS which cannot be accidentally discharged and which can be simply and economically manufactured.

A further object of my invention is to provide an aerosol dispenser for CS which cannot be accidentally discharged, can be simply and economically manufactured, and is provided with a variable spray nozzle to disseminate the CS in a pattern which varies from a steady stream to various angles of spray as desired.

Other objects of my invention will be obvious or will appear from the specification hereinafter set forth.

FIG. I is a view of a dispenser with the safety means of my invention being moved from the safe to the discharge position.

FIG. 2 is a view of a dispenser with the safety means of my invention in the discharge position.

FIG. 3 is a view of a dispenser with the safety means of my invention in the safe position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a dispenser head showing the safety means of my invention in the safe position in relation to the valve actuator means.

FIG. 5 is a view ofa dispenser in a sling on a users belt with the safety means of my invention in the safe position.

FIG. 6 is a view of a dispenser head showing the discharge nozzle.

FIG. 7 is a view of the safety means of my invention.

FIG. 8 is a view of another embodiment of my invention with a variable spray nozzle means.

FIG. 9 is a view of the operation of my variable spray nozzle means.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a dispenser head using my variable spray nozzle means and my safety means in the safe position.

FIG. II is a front view of my variable spray nozzle means.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of my variable spray nozzle means.

FIG. 13 is a view of a dispenser head showing an actuating means for piston control variable spray nozzle means.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a dispenser head showing a piston control variable spray nozzle means embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a view of the actuating means shown in FIG. 13 attached to the piston means for the piston control variable spray nozzle means embodiment.

My invention and FIGS. I to 15 will nowbe described in detail as follows.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 7, safety means I of my invention is utilized to prevent accidental depressing of depress plate 2 which would in turn depress the valve-actuating means 3 and cause premature dispensing of the CS content of the dispenser 4. To maintain dispenser 4 in a safe, nondischarge state, safety means I is pushed forward by pressure of thumb 5 on switch means 6 until the forward end of the safety means rests within notch 7, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 in particular, and aft end 8 rests within recess 9, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in particular. Safety means I is slidably mounted to move into and out of notch 7 by means of hole I0 tightly engaging screw II; screw 11 being fixedly mounted within depress plate 2. To discharge the embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 7, safety means I is moved to the rear by thumb action, as described above, until the front end of the safety means is out of notch 7, aft end 8 is removed from recess 9, and screw II contacts the front end of hole 10; and depress plate 2 is depressed by thumb 5 which causes activating means 3 to be depressed and actuate the aerosol valve, in the conventional manner, to cause a spray of CS to be discharged from nozzle 12 to be dispersed in the atmosphere. Dispenser 4 is carried on the person within container means 13 suspended from a belt 14 around the person's waist; belt I4 being inserted through hanger means I5 fixedly mounted in any conventional manner, such as sewing, etc. Container I3 can be made of any desirable and suitable material such as plastic, fabric, light metal, etc. Gloves should be worn by a person discharging dispenser 4 to avoid skin irritation by the discharged CS spray. Dispenser 4 can be made of any suitable and desirable material, such as aluminum, and it is filled with a solution of CS pressurized with dry nitrogen gas to a pressure of pounds per square inch gauge pressure at 75 F. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to I2 is designed to be used with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 to vary the stream discharged from the nozzle means from a steady stream to any desirable angle of spray; the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 producing only a steady stream discharge. To utilize the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, noule I2 is designed to be merely snapped out of recess 16 and nozzle 17, shown in FIG. 12, inserted by means of projection I8 in the place of nozzle 12. Handle .19 is threadably mounted on nozzle 17 by male threads 20 of the nozzle engaging female threads 21 within the hub 22 of handle 19. By rotating handle 19, as shown in FIG. 9, nozzle 17 can be moved from a position of just barely engaging threads 2] to a position of surface 23 of the nozzle-contacting surface 24 of hub 22. When surface 23 contacts 24, a steady stream of CS is discharged from the nozzle as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 7. The steady stream is produced by the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to I2 by the CS being discharged as described above regarding FIGS. I to 7, flowing from ports 25, flowing along channel 26, and being discharged from orifice 27, shown in FIG. 10. As handle 19 is turned counterclockwise, as one faces the handle, faces 23 and 24 separate to greater and greater distances to cause a varying angle CS spray to be discharged as the distance increases; the angle and droplet size of the spray can be designed within the skill of the art to suit each individual appli-. cation by desirable arrangement of ports 25 in relation to each other and varying the sizes of ports 25 and orifice 27. FIGS. 13 to 15 show another embodiment to be utilized with the embodiment shown in FIGS. I to 7 to produce a CS discharge stream which varies from a steady stream to a wide angle spray. FIGS. 13 to 15 embodiment employs a piston means 28 mounted within recess 16 behind nozzle 12; the piston means being fixedly connected to lever means 29 by shaft means 30. Shaft means 30 has one end fixedly connected to the piston means by any conventional means such as welding, threading, etc., and the other end threadably mounted within mount means 31; the mount means being fixedly connected to lever means 29 by any conventional means such as welding. A tight but slidably fit is provided for piston means 28 within recess 16, and lever 29 is inserted through a hole means in depress plate 2, as shown in FIG. I4. Shaft 30 is threadably engaged within projection 31 after it is inserted] through the hole means in the depress plate. By moving lever 29 backward and forward, piston means 28 is moved from the fully aft position, as shown in FIG. 14, to a position where surface 32 of the piston means contacts surface 33 of the nozzle means. The CS discharge spray action evolves in the same manner as described above for FIGS. 8 to 12 by discharge through ports 34, along channel 35, and out of orifice 36. i I wish it to be understood thatl do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

I. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, a recess means in the periphery of the head means and below an aft notch means, said recess means being adapted to retain the aft end of a safety means, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lachrymatory material is orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a forward notch means I and an aft notch means are located opposite to each other on the top periphery of the head means, the notches being adapted to act as guide means for the safety means and the forward notch means being adapted to act as a stop means for the safety means to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the safety means is provided with a switching means integral with the safety means and adjacent to the aft end of the safety means, said switching means being adapted to permit the safety means to be slidably moved into and out ofthe forward notch means.

5. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate, said safety means being provided with an oblong hole means adjacent to -the forward end of the safety means and opposite to a switching means, said hole means being adapted to engage a screw means fixedly mounted in the depress plate, said screw being adapted to retain the safety means in contact with the exterior surface of the depress plate and to act as a guide means in movement of the safety means between a notch means.

6. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, said nozzle means comprising a body member having a head member and a projection member, the projection member being adapted to be removably mounted within a recess in the periphery of the head means of the dispenser and located below and adjacent to the depress plate; male thread means formed in the periphery of the head member of the body member, said male thread means being adapted to engage female thread means within the hub of a handle-means, a pair of ports through the nozzle ,means adapted to pass the lachrymatory material from within the dispenser to the orifice; a channel means connecting the ports, said channel means being located in the surface of the head member of the body member opposite to the projection member; and a handle means having a hub member integral therewith and located at one extremity of the handle means, said hub member having an orifice means adapted to dispense the lachrymatory material to the atmosphere and female thread means within the hub member adapted to engage the male thread means of the head member of the body member, said handle means being adapted to be rotated to vary the distance between the surface of the head member of the bod member having the channel means therein and themner wa l of the hub member having the orifice means therein to control the flow of the lachrymatory material from the dispenser to the atmosphere from a steady state stream to a spray having a predetermined angle, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.

7. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, said nozzle means comprising a piston means located betwecnthe orifice and the inside wall of the dispenser means adjacent to the orifice and within a recess in the periphery of the head means of the dispenser means and located below and adjacent to the depress plate; said piston means being adapted to be slidably moved within the recess to vary the distance between the surface of the piston means adjacent to the orifice and the orifice to control the flow of the lachrymatory material from the orifice to the atmosphere from a steady state stream to a spray having a predetennincd angle; a shaft means connecting the piston means to a lever means, the lever means being adapted to slidably move the piston means within the recess means; a lever means located on the exterior surface of the depress plate and projecting through a hole in the depress plate to connect to the shaft means; a pair of ports through the piston means adapted to pass the lachrymatory material from within the dispenser to the orifice; and a channel means connecting the ports, said channel means being located in the surface of the piston adjacent to the orifice, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.

8. An improved apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material having a dispenser means, a head means integral with the dispenser means, and a depress plate within the head means; the improvement in combination therewith being a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate, the safety means being located in contact with the exterior surface of the depress plate, a recess means in the periphery of the head means and below an aft notch means, said recess means being adapted to retain the aft end of a safety means, and a nozzle means adapted to very the discharge stream from a steady state to a spray of a predetermined angle, the nozzle means being located below and adjacent to the depress plate. 

1. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, a recess means in the periphery of the head means and below an aft notch means, said recess means being adapted to retain the aft end of a safety means, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lachrymatory material is orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a forward notch means and an aft notch means are located opposite to each other on the top periphery of the head means, the notches being adapted to act as guide means for the safety means and the forward notch means being adapted to act as a stop means for the safety means to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the safety means is provided with a switching means integral with the safety means and adjacent to the aft end of the safety means, said switching means being adapted to permit the safety means to be slidably moved into and out of the forward notch means.
 5. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate, said safety means being provided with an oblong hole means adjacent to the forward end of the safety means and opposite to a switching means, said hole means being adapted to engage a screw means fixedly mounted in the depress plate, said screw being adapted to retain the safety means in contact with the exterior surface of the depress plate and to act as a guide means in movement of the safety means between a notch means.
 6. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress platE within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, said nozzle means comprising a body member having a head member and a projection member, the projection member being adapted to be removably mounted within a recess in the periphery of the head means of the dispenser and located below and adjacent to the depress plate; male thread means formed in the periphery of the head member of the body member, said male thread means being adapted to engage female thread means within the hub of a handle means; a pair of ports through the nozzle means adapted to pass the lachrymatory material from within the dispenser to the orifice; a channel means connecting the ports, said channel means being located in the surface of the head member of the body member opposite to the projection member; and a handle means having a hub member integral therewith and located at one extremity of the handle means, said hub member having an orifice means adapted to dispense the lachrymatory material to the atmosphere and female thread means within the hub member adapted to engage the male thread means of the head member of the body member, said handle means being adapted to be rotated to vary the distance between the surface of the head member of the body member having the channel means therein and the inner wall of the hub member having the orifice means therein to control the flow of the lachrymatory material from the dispenser to the atmosphere from a steady state stream to a spray having a predetermined angle, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.
 7. An apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material comprising a dispenser means, a depress plate within a head means of the dispenser means adapted to actuate a valve means to disseminate the lachrymatory material through an orifice in a nozzle means, said nozzle means comprising a piston means located between the orifice and the inside wall of the dispenser means adjacent to the orifice and within a recess in the periphery of the head means of the dispenser means and located below and adjacent to the depress plate; said piston means being adapted to be slidably moved within the recess to vary the distance between the surface of the piston means adjacent to the orifice and the orifice to control the flow of the lachrymatory material from the orifice to the atmosphere from a steady state stream to a spray having a predetermined angle; a shaft means connecting the piston means to a lever means, the lever means being adapted to slidably move the piston means within the recess means; a lever means located on the exterior surface of the depress plate and projecting through a hole in the depress plate to connect to the shaft means; a pair of ports through the piston means adapted to pass the lachrymatory material from within the dispenser to the orifice; and a channel means connecting the ports, said channel means being located in the surface of the piston adjacent to the orifice, and a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate.
 8. An improved apparatus for disseminating lachrymatory material having a dispenser means, a head means integral with the dispenser means, and a depress plate within the head means; the improvement in combination therewith being a safety means adapted to prevent premature depression of the depress plate, the safety means being located in contact with the exterior surface of the depress plate, a recess means in the periphery of the head means and below an aft notch means, said recess means being adapted to retain the aft end of a safety means, and a nozzle means adapted to very the discharge stream from a steady state to a spray of a predetermined angle, the nozzle means being located below and adjacent to the depress plate. 